Brownsville was founded shortly after the American Revolution by Thomas Brown. It was settled in 1785 and soon a trading post was set up by Jacob Bowman near a fort built by Pennsylvainia Militia Colonel James Burd to supply travelers on the new national road, now known as Route 40.
The town became a Hub of steamboat traffic and boat building, and soon was known as the "Gateway to the West", taking travelers from the National Road downriver to St Louis were they would head West.
When the railroads came through in 1853, the Riverboat traffic declined as more people took the railway to the West.
Soon after, Coal mining and Coke production created a rebirth for the town, and these became the major industries until the Coal ran out in the 1960's and operations ceased. The town has had a steady decline since then, but has consistently tried to redevelop itself, and with some success.
This cache is not at the posted coordinates. To get the solution to this puzzle, you must complete the nearby Adventure Lab. Parking coordinates are the same for both. The final location can be very muddy if the water has been high recently. Plan accordingly.